¹⁄48

Bell P-400 Airacobra

About the Kit

This is the P-400 from Eduard. The assembly is without much difficulty, the only point posing problem being the thickness of the trailing edges. I tried to refine them by sanding the interior but it was not sufficient. They should certainly be refined on the outside as well, but this would have implied to re-engrave some panel lines which I didn't wanted to do. For the cockpit, I have used some photo etched instrument panels from another "Profipack" box of the same kit.

Selected decoration is the plane N°13 “Hells Bells” of 67th FS based in Guadacanal during the second half of 1942. The decals came from an Aeromaster sheet. The camouflage was done with Revell aquacolor paint and the weathering was done with oil-based paints.

Some history

When P-400s of the 67th squadron arrived at Guadacanal, the pilots quickly realized that they were unusable in the fighter role. The P400 being a version of the P39 intended for the RAF, these were equipped with English oxygen bootles whish the American didn't had at Guadalcanal. P-400 were consequently limited at an altitude of 14.000 feet whereas the japs flew between 15.000 and 17.000 feet. P400 were always in position of disadvantage in combat and the Wildcat of the Navy had to help them on several occasions.

After having analyzed the armament of the P-400, Major Général Vandegrift, assigned the aircraft to close air support. Indeed it proved to be very effective in this role, using its capacity of carrying a bomb to attack the Japanese debarkation beaches and the fact that its 20mm cannon could sink the ennemy barges. Because of the particularly difficult conditions at Guadalcanal and the constant harassing of the Japanese from the airs and from the sea, the 67th squadron soon had only four machines left at its disposal and only one had all it's armament still functioning.